Don’t Believe the Noise: Why It's Time to Trust Your Own Mind Over the Media
There was a time when the news felt like a public service.
Dan Rather came on the tube that sat on the floor. He read the facts. He signed off. You could get the headlines in your local paper, then go back to living your life — farming your land, raising your kids, and trusting that the people in charge were mostly doing their best.
But something’s changed.
I hear it all the time when I talk to folks from all over this country. It doesn’t matter if they live in rural Alabama or northern Montana — they say the same thing:
“I don’t trust the news anymore.”
And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
When the News Became Noise
Turn on your TV or scroll your phone for five minutes, and it’s clear: we’re not getting news anymore.
We’re getting narratives.
Cable news — both sides — doesn’t aim to inform you. It aims to enrage you. To divide you. To make you afraid. To keep you tuned in. Because the longer you watch, the more ads they sell. The more clicks they get. The more money flows in.
And that’s not just true for the big networks. It’s true for most “independent” media too. Podcasts, influencers, newsletters — many of them are backed by billionaires, corporations, political machines, or advertisers with an agenda.
It’s all bought and paid for, one way or another.
The Left, the Right, and the Big Game in the Middle
It used to be easy: if you didn’t like one side of the news, you could turn to the other.
But now, more and more people are realizing that both sides are reading from the same script — just changing the tone.
Think about it:
One side tells you the world is ending because of climate, racism, or healthcare.
The other side tells you the world is ending because of immigrants, crime, or taxes.
Either way, you’re scared. You’re angry. You’re divided from your neighbors. And you’re glued to the screen.
That’s the goal.
Keep folks mad. Keep them distracted. Keep them scared enough to forget they actually have something in common with the people they’ve been told to hate.
Who’s Paying for the Message?
Follow the money.
That’s what I always tell folks when they ask me how to figure out who to trust.
Ask:
Who's funding this?
What’s being sold here?
Who benefits if I believe this story?
Most media — whether it’s left, right, or center — is owned by just a handful of corporations. And those corporations have interests. Financial ones. Political ones. Global ones.
And even the “little guys”? Many of them rely on ad money, donor money, or algorithm tricks that reward outrage and controversy.
In other words: they need your emotions more than your understanding.
What We’re Losing: Our Common Sense
You ever hear something on the news and think, “That just doesn’t add up”?
That’s your gut talking. That’s your own common sense — the wisdom that comes from years of living, working, raising a family, paying bills, seeing the world change.
Too often, we ignore that voice. We let people in suits or with fancy microphones talk us out of it. But here’s the truth:
You don’t need someone to tell you how to think.
You’re smart enough to ask your own questions. To notice when something feels off. To wonder why the same stories get pushed over and over — and why some stories never make it to the screen at all.
That questioning? That’s not dangerous.
That’s not unpatriotic.
That’s American.
The Return of the Thinking Citizen
There’s a quiet revolution happening right now.
It’s not loud. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t go viral.
But it’s powerful.
More and more people are turning off the TV. Putting down the headlines. Skipping the shouting matches.
And instead, they’re talking to their neighbors. Listening instead of yelling. Asking instead of accusing. Watching how people actually live — not how they’re portrayed on screen.
They’re becoming what we used to be:
Thinking citizens.
How to Start Thinking for Yourself Again
This doesn’t mean you stop caring. It doesn’t mean you hide from the world. It just means you approach information like you’d approach a used car salesman — with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Here’s a good place to start:
1. Turn It Off for a While
Take a media break. One day. One week. You’d be amazed how quiet your mind gets when you stop filling it with noise.
2. Ask “Who Wins?”
Every time you hear a news story, ask: Who benefits if I believe this? Who profits from this fear? Who disappears from this picture?
3. Talk to Real People
Want to understand the world? Talk to your barber. Your neighbor. The guy at the hardware store. Real people with real stories are better than any panel of experts.
4. Read Multiple Sources
If you must follow the news, compare different sources. Left, right, and international. Patterns will start to emerge — and so will the truth.
5. Trust Your Gut
If it smells like manipulation, it probably is. Listen to that voice. It’s trying to protect you.
The Future Belongs to the Clear-Headed
We live in strange times. The truth is often buried beneath layers of spin, fear, and distraction.
But here’s the good news:
You’re not powerless.
You’ve got more wisdom than the folks on TV. You’ve got life experience, instincts, and a community that the media doesn’t understand. And maybe — just maybe — the most radical thing you can do in this noisy world…
…is think for yourself.
Have you tuned out the noise lately? What’s changed for you since walking away from the mainstream narrative? I’d love to hear your story at mattpierceblog.com. Let’s start the conversation — the real one.
